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Clovis Technology and Settlement in the American Southeast: Using Biface Analysis to Evaluate Dispersal Models

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Ashley M. Smallwood
Ashley M. Smallwood*
Affiliation:
Antonio J. Waring Archaeological Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia 30118 (ashleys@westga.edu)
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Abstract

Kelly and Todd’s (1988) “high-technology forager” model predicts Clovis groups were highly mobile populations that left behind behaviorally consistent records of Clovis fluted points as evidence of their short-term occupations. Anderson’s (1990, 1996) staging-area model predicts that Clovis settlement was more gradual; groups entered the continent and slowed migration to concentrate territorial ranges around resource-rich river valleys, and these staging areas became the demographic foundations for early cultural regionalization. This study analyzes southeastern Clovis point data and biface assemblages from Carson-Conn-Short; Topper, and Williamson to test the technological implications of these two models. Significant subregional variation exists in Clovis point morphology and biface production techniques. This variation suggests the subregions represent distinct populations who distinctly altered aspects of their technology but maintained fundamental elements of the Clovis tradition. These findings are at odds with the high-technology forager model and more closely fit the staging-area model.

Resumen

Resumen

Kelly y Todd (1988) modelo de alta tecnología de forager predice Clovis los grupos fueron poblaciones de sumamente-móvil que dejaron detrás de registros conductistamente-coherentes de Clovis puntos ondulados como evidencia de sus ocupaciones a corto plazo. Anderson (1990, 1996) modelo de etapa-área predice que arreglo de Clovis fue más gradual; los grupos entraron el continente y migración ralentizada para concentrar gamas territoriales alrededor de valles recurso-rico de río, y estas puesta en escena-áreas llegaron a ser las bases demográficas para el regionalization temprano cultural. Este estudio analiza los datos del sudeste de punto de Clovis y colecciones de biface de Carson-Corto de Connecticut, el Colmo, y Williamson para probar las implicaciones tecnológicas de estos dos modelos. La variación subregional significativa existe en la morfología de punto de Clovis y técnicas de producción de biface. Esta variación sugiere que las subregiones representan poblaciones claras que alteraron claramente aspectos de su tecnología pero elementos fundamentales mantenidos de la tradición de Clovis. Estas conclusiones están reñidas con el modelo de alta tecnología de forager y más quedan de cerca el modelo de etapa-área.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 77 , Issue 4 , October 2012 , pp. 689 - 713
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 2012

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